Which place is cheaper, Mexico City or Colonia del Sacramento?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Colonia del Sacramento or Mexico City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Colonia del Sacramento and Mexico City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Colonia del Sacramento or Mexico City?
Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento is in the Rio de la Plata region of Uruguay. It is filled with old colonial buildings and cobbled streets, and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Colonia del Sacramento was founded in 1680 by the Portuguese, sandwiched in between the Portuguese colony of Brazil and the Spanish Viceroyalty of the River Plate, later Argentina, Uruguay and Southern Brazil. Its strategic position and use as a smuggling port meant that its sovereignty was constantly contested and the city changed hands several times between Spain and Portugal. The irresistibly picturesque town's charm and its proximity to Buenos Aires draw thousands of Argentine and other visitors on weekends and in summer. Prices rise in these periods and it can be difficult to find a room so make sure to book your trip well in advance.
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayColonia del Sacramento $68Mexico City $214
The average daily cost (per person) in Colonia del Sacramento is $68, while the average daily cost in Mexico City is $214. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Colonia del Sacramento and Mexico City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personColonia del Sacramento $34Mexico City $41
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomColonia del Sacramento $68Mexico City $82
Compare Hotels in Colonia del Sacramento and Mexico City
Looking for a hotel in Colonia del Sacramento or Mexico City? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Colonia del Sacramento Hotel Prices and Mexico City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Colonia del Sacramento $17Mexico City $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Colonia del Sacramento
Also for Colonia del Sacramento, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Colonia Port Terminal Private Transfer : $15
- Colonia Bus Terminal Private Transfer : $15
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
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Metro$1.20
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Uber Ride$4.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Mexico APT-HTL (MEX) : $36
- Transfer to and from Mexico City Airport: $30
- Transfer in private vehicle from Mexico City - Mexico Airport (MEX): $43
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Tlalnepantla - Mexico City Airport (MEX): $83
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Mexico Airport (MEX)- Mexico City: $93
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Mexico Airport (MEX) - Tlalnepantla: $83
- Transfer from Mexico City Airport to Puebla: $245
- Transfer Mexico city Airport - Mexico city Downtown hotels: $18
- Transfer Mexico City Airport to Downtown and Zona Rosa Hotels: $80
- Transfer Mexico City - Taxco - Acapulco (2 days): $83
- Transfer Airport - hotel in Mexico City: $80
- Transfer & assistance one-way from/to Mexico City Airport/hotel : $36
Is it cheaper to fly into Colonia del Sacramento or Mexico City?
Prices for flights to both Mexico City and Colonia del Sacramento change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayColonia del Sacramento $19Mexico City $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Colonia del Sacramento
For Colonia del Sacramento, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Sensory Experience - Blind dinner in Colonia Del Sacramento: $95
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$13
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Coffee and Snacks$4.69
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Dinner for 2$27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Traveling Spoon Mexican Tacos and Tortillas Private Online Cooking Class: $40
- Virtual Mexican Cooking Class (private and personalized): $50
- Veracruz and Boca del Rio Food Tour with Mangroves Boat Trip: $50
- Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $50
- Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
- Uruapan Food Tour: $60
- 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $66
- Muchos moles: Multi-variety mole cooking class and feast: $70
- Mexico City Vegan & Veggie Market Explorer plus Cooking Lesson: $72
- Street Food Tour with Friends: $75
- La Roma Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Food Tour with Ride an Electric Bike in Mexico: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Colonia del Sacramento $24Mexico City $15
Tours and Activities in Colonia del Sacramento
For Colonia del Sacramento, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Almacén de la Capilla - Winery Experience at Carmelo: $215
- Bus Ticket from Colonia del Sacramento to Carmelo: $27
- City Tour Colonia del Sacramento - Uruguay: $90
- Colonia del Sacramento City Tour : $58
- Adventure Sightseeing Bike Tour: $53
- Historical Walking Tour with Snack: $58
- Colonia: Private City Tour on Foot (Historic District): $89
- Experience an typical Uruguayan dish: Chivito & Tannat Wine: $78
- From Best Private Wine Experience: $185
- From Horse Ride Experience: $72
- From Montevideo: Colonia Day Trip & Sightseeing: $150
- Full Day Birdwatching and Nature Tour: $200
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- City Tour/español-ingles: $68
- Frida Kahlo Tour with Admission Tickets: $76
- Mixology, Food, Wine and Beer Experience in Xochimilco: $99
- Monarch Butterfly Tour from Mexico City: $220
- Romantic Walking tour in Mexico City: $150
- Romantic tour in San Andrés Mixquic: $150
- Teotihuacan Early Access tour with Tequila Tasting: $37
- The best of Mixquic walking tour: $150
- VIP - FULL DAY - Mexico City Private Tour : $180
- 2 Day tour Teotihuacan pyramids +City tour & Xochimilco : $132
- 2 Days Private Tour with Hiking in Malinche from Puebla: $207
- 2 Hours Private Tour with Electric Scooter in Mexico City: $78
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayColonia del Sacramento $5.85Mexico City $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- Mexico City Pub Crawl: $27
- CDMX Pub Crawl: Mexico City Bar Crawl: $29
- Mexico City Bar Crawl: $39
- Best Bar Crawl at Downtown: $49
- Nightly Historic Center From Above© Rooftop Bar Crawl +Taco Snack: $129
- 2 Hours Private Mexican Wine Tasting in Polanco: $155
- Third Largest Monolith in the World:Bernal with wine tasting: $235
- Cavas Freixenet Wine Tour from Mexico City: $255
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Colonia del Sacramento and Mexico City, we can see that Mexico City is more expensive. And not only is Colonia del Sacramento much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Colonia del Sacramento is in South America and Mexico City is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Colonia del Sacramento would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Colonia del Sacramento and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City than you might in Colonia del Sacramento.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Colonia del Sacramento Expensive? and Is Mexico City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Colonia del Sacramento or Mexico City?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 520 times larger than the population of Colonia del Sacramento. When comparing the sizes of Colonia del Sacramento and Mexico City, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.